By AMY VERNER
Today, Suitable's role is not to pass judgment on men who have greying or balding pates, but to consider why such widespread image issues are viewed so negatively in a professional context.
One answer is that when men don't know how to deal with their hair, they set themselves up for ridicule and reverse favouritism (discrimination sounds way too harsh).
Indeed, it would be a mighty superficial society that determines a man's career potential based on his follicular fate.
But let's admit that comb-overs, ponytails and bad dye jobs will do nothing to promote an individual's career. These are non-verbal signals that can come back to haunt an otherwise capable workhorse.
“When your hair looks dyed, people may wonder what else you're hiding,” says men's image consultant Damon Allan, whose company, Alexander Steel, works with individual and business clients in Southern Ontario.
“You want to keep the honesty in your hair.”
And this means turning an insecurity – such as premature hair loss or greying – into a personal image asset. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper's stylish silver coif is a point of distinction.
“If I can compare [that insecurity] to anything with women, it's either small breasts or the need to have a facelift or eyelift,” Toronto hairstylist Catherine Moreau says.
Although medications such as prescription Propecia (finasteride) and non-prescription Rogaine (minoxidil) are effective options, as are hairpieces (also called hair systems) and transplants, the easiest way to attack thinning hair is to go for a haircut.
Because male pattern baldness begins above the temples, the sides will always be thicker.
Ms. Moreau says that not only will a close crop look fashionable, it will conceal the imbalance and create the illusion of fullness.
Men who have very little hair remaining may think to go the Bruce Willis route, but only after consulting with a professional. “The shape of the head and face is important,” insists Ms. Moreau, who is a national educator for Paul Mitchell salons.
International hairstylist Marc Anthony, who is based in Toronto, agrees. “Shaving it all completely off doesn't always work,” he says, warning that there can sometimes be demarcations and indentations on the scalp that don't look flattering.
Kevin Obregon, copyright photograph by J R Compton.These days, grey hair falls into a grey area. There are those who think that a silvery mane or a little shake of salt and pepper gives the impression of wisdom and experience.
Others think it is negatively associated with aging, especially when the workplace is dominated by whippersnappers.
“Grey is good for a man as long as it doesn't become dull, ashy, mousy grey,” says Mr. Anthony, who is also a host and judge of Superstar Hair Challenge (on the Slice network). A silicone serum can give hair shine.
Salons can also offer various chemical processes. Ms. Moreau is a fan of a demi-permanent colour. “If permanent colour could be compared to opaque pantyhose … demi-permanent colour is the equivalent of sheer pantyhose,” she says. In other words, it doesn't totally cover up the hair colour and it can be done each time a client comes in for a cut.
Then there's a painting technique, which is the opposite of highlighting. Basically, darker shades are added back to the hair using a wide-tooth comb as opposed to dying the entire head.
Ms. Moreau leaves some grey at the temples and throughout the hair for the optimal realistic effect.
Mr. Anthony says: “You can take someone who is 70-per-cent grey and bring them down to 20-per-cent grey, but we do it over two or three visits over four or five months.”
Unlike highlighting, which results in notoriously noticeable roots, the growth is less pronounced, he says. “You can do it every few months, maybe a couple of times a year. It's not high-maintenance.”
Prices vary by salon, but he says men should expect to pay approximately half the cost of standard women's highlighting.
And while old habits die hard, try to resist the DIY route. “They've gone grey a bit and all of a sudden they look like they put shoe polish on their hair,” Mr. Anthony says.
Ms. Moreau cites a famous saying among stylists that has even been printed on T-shirts: “Quit your bitchin' – you did it in your kitchen.”
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